CVE-2026-13498: SQL Injection in Restaurant Management System via Password Reset

Executive Summary

CVE-2026-13498 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in the open-source restaurent-management-system project by GitHub user yashpokharna2555. The flaw exists in the POST parameter handler of /forgotpassword.php, a password reset endpoint that passes user-supplied input directly into a SQL query without sanitization.

CVSS Score: 7.3 (High)

Password reset flows are an especially dangerous location for SQL injection — they are public-facing, unauthenticated, and often receive less security scrutiny than login endpoints. Successful exploitation can result in full database compromise including the exfiltration of all user credentials.

Vulnerability Overview

Affected Software

This is a PHP-based restaurant management system available on GitHub, likely used as a learning project or deployed in small business environments. No vendor patch has been released as of the CVE publication date.

Technical Details

The /forgotpassword.php endpoint accepts a POST parameter (likely email or username) and uses it to look up the account to initiate a password reset. The value is interpolated directly into a SQL query string rather than being bound as a parameterized value.

Vulnerable Code Pattern

// Typical vulnerable pattern in forgotpassword.php
$email = $_POST['email'];  // no sanitization
$sql = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = '$email'";
$result = mysqli_query($conn, $sql);

Exploitation

An attacker can send a crafted POST request:

POST /forgotpassword.php HTTP/1.1
Host: <target>
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
 
email=test@test.com' UNION SELECT 1,group_concat(username,':',password),3,4 FROM users--

Time-based blind injection (if no output is reflected):

email=nonexistent' AND SLEEP(5)--

Why Password Reset Endpoints Are High-Risk

Impact

Remediation

Immediate Actions

1. Take the forgotpassword.php endpoint offline or restrict it to authenticated sessions if feasible.
2. Do not expose the application to the internet until patched.
3. Rotate all database credentials — assume the DB has been accessed.
4. Notify users to change passwords if the system has been externally accessible.

Code Fix — Parameterized Query

// SECURE — use prepared statement
$email = $_POST['email'];
 
$stmt = $conn->prepare("SELECT id, username FROM users WHERE email = ?");
$stmt->bind_param("s", $email);
$stmt->execute();
$result = $stmt->get_result();
 
if ($result->num_rows === 0) {
    // Do not reveal whether email exists (prevents user enumeration)
    $message = "If that email is registered, a reset link has been sent.";
}

Input Validation

// Validate email format before touching the database
$email = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'email', FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL);
if (!$email) {
    http_response_code(400);
    exit('Invalid email address');
}

Rate Limiting

Password reset endpoints should also implement rate limiting to prevent automated exploitation:

// Simple rate limit by IP using APCu or Redis
$ip = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
$attempts = apcu_fetch("pwd_reset_{$ip}") ?: 0;
 
if ($attempts >= 5) {
    http_response_code(429);
    exit('Too many requests. Please try again later.');
}
 
apcu_store("pwd_reset_{$ip}", $attempts + 1, 300); // 5-min window

Detection Indicators

Notes for Developers

This vulnerability is a textbook example of why all SQL queries — not just login queries — must use prepared statements. Password reset, registration, and search endpoints are just as susceptible as authentication endpoints and often receive less scrutiny.

When reviewing open-source PHP applications for deployment:

• Audit every $_POST, $_GET, and $_REQUEST usage
• Confirm every database interaction uses prepare() + bind_param()
• Run automated tools like sqlmap in a controlled environment before deployment

References

• NVD — CVE-2026-13498
• CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in SQL Commands
• OWASP SQL Injection Prevention Cheat Sheet
• OWASP Forgot Password Cheat Sheet

Related Advisories

• CVE-2026-13487: SQL Injection in Timetabling System /archive.php
• CVE-2026-13488: SQL Injection in Timetabling System /preview7.php